MOM forms smiles-Program helps area’s underinsured get dental care

By Jillian E. Kesner / Journal Staff Writer

Katie Kilcollin, left, a fourth-year West Virginia University Dental School student, works with her father, Dr. Mark Kilcollin, from Monroe County, as they extract two teeth from Iris Marjo on Friday morning at the Eastern Panhandle’s Mission of Mercy Healthy Smiles Initiative clinic in Hedgesville. Katie Kilcollin will be the fourth-generation dentist in her family. (Journal photo by Ron Agnir)

HEDGESVILLE - There were people everywhere, wearing every garb imaginable for a hot summer day - bright T-shirts, shorts, jeans, halter tops.

But what everyone wore when they left Hedgesville High's gym on Friday was the same - a smile.

And for many of the 500 or so who received dental care for the first time in years, their big toothy grins told the entire story.

About 500 patients and more than 800 volunteers took part Friday in the first day of the two-day Mission of Mercy Healthy Smiles Initiative. The initiative was designed to serve 1,000 low-income, uninsured or underinsured residents of the area.

And was it ever a success.

An average of 41 people an hour over a 24-hour time period were getting the oral health services they needed from 65 dentists, who donated their time.

People began standing in line outside the school just after midnight Thursday. The clinic opened at 6 a.m. Friday, with volunteers arriving at 4:30 a.m. Stations were set up throughout Hedgesville High School where people waited patiently in line to have fillings set, cleanings completed and teeth extracted.

Dr. Terry Dickinson, executive director of the Virginia Dental Association, began MOM in 2000. Since that time, many communities across the country have followed suit.

MOM services are provided by volunteers - dental professionals, medical professionals and general community volunteers, including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Berkeley County Sheriff's Department as well as churches, local businesses and other individuals who helped set up and clean up, register patients, translate for them and provide direction in the parking lot.

The ultimate vision is to have a permanent facility to meet the need for dental services in the Panhandle, said Vicki Shean, public relations team chairperson who works for the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle. Shean said that approximately 42 dentists practice in the tri-county area. That's far too few to meet the needs of an ever-growing population. Additionally, access to oral health care has become a crisis for an underserved and uninsured population.

"This is only a Band-Aid," Shean said. "It's not a long-term solution."

Mikki Van Wyk, a benefactor who sponsored an unnamed amount of money for the project, said that she was stunned by the number of people who came out.

"I've seen in two days' time how we can change peoples' lives," Van Wyk said. "The volunteer efforts have changed hundreds of lives and that's remarkable."

Van Wyk, the widow of longtime businessman Bruce Van Wyk, said she wanted to help to shed light on a national crisis.

"The community is at the forefront of helping a national need and that's a pretty neat thing," Van Wyk said.

After leaving his 30-year practice in Texas, Dickinson said he felt as if something was missing in his life, even though he felt blessed, with many material possessions.

"It didn't fill what I needed filled," Dickinson said. "I did charity work before but I went on a three-year journey to find out what needed to be filled."

After introducing the first project in Wise County in southern Virginia, he said he finally realized what he was supposed to do.

"I've never seen so much enthusiasm like the people in Martinsburg," Dickinson said. "If you have people like that, I'll go anywhere. I'm truly blessed to be here."

Bruce Cassis of Fayetteville brought his six staff members to the clinic; this is his first time performing in a volunteer clinic such as this one.

"It's awesome," Cassis said. "It's a great thing and the patients are really appreciative."

Dr. Tom Leslie, head of dental operations at the clinic, compared Friday's event to seeing your own baby for the first time. He has volunteered at other MOM events elsewhere.

"It's been fantastic," Leslie said.

Leslie and his wife brought their staff of 11 people to volunteer their services.

The United Way of the Eastern Panhandle played a big role in the organization of the project as well. Executive Director Jan Callen said that the United Way is moving away from being a "funds distribution organization" and moving toward becoming a "community impact organization."

"People ask 'What is that?'" Callen said. "Walk into that gymnasium - that's what community impact is."

Fifty-three-year-old John Epling, of Harpers Ferry, said it's been seven years since he'd been to the dentist. On Friday, he was able to have three teeth filled.

"It's a wonderful thing for all the people that can't do this on their own" Epling said. "I don't think there can be anything nicer done."

MOM continues today at Hedgesville High School from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- Staff writer Jillian E. Kesner can be reached at (304) 263-8931, ext. 215, or jkesner@journal-news.net